Ash-disposing apparatus



vFaun. 1925- 1,523,860

T. G. COGHLAN ET AL ASH DISPOS TNG APPARATUS Filed March 2, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented, Jan. 20 1925.,

UNITED STATES;

LSZMW lPATENTJ- F CB AsH-nrsmsmwfirmness;

Application fi-led March'2,.1922; serislne. sa e.

To a]! whom it may concern:

Be it known that We, THOMAS G. COGIILAN and EINAK It. JoHNsnN, citizens of the United States, and residents of Elizabeth and Brooklyn, respectively, in the counties of Union and Kings, respectively, and States of New Jersey and New York, respectively, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ash-Disposing Apparatus, of

which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improved means for controlling ash resulting from the bur ing of fuel in furnaces, particularly boiler furnaces, and is especially suitable for use in connection with the operation of furnaces equipped with travelling grates or mechanical stokers. In the disposal of ash from furnaces of this character, various expedient-s have been resorted to, for example, the provision of means for initially crushing the ash received from the grates either by a rotary crusher or by a reciprocatory crusher memher, the ash being delivered directly into an ash pit. The removal of ash from the pit,

however, tends to reduce efficiency of furnace operation thru the introduction of air thereby to the furnace, when operating under natural draft, or by permitting the escape of air and gases from the furnace when operating under forced draft, with the attendant pollution of the air in the neighborhood of the ash pit.

It is the object of the present invention to so control the crushing operation that not only will a predetermined maximum feed be provided for but a predetermined column of ash will, also, automatically be maintained to effectually seal at all times the furnace against entrance of cold air from the ash 4o pit. A further object of the invention consists in means for controlling the size of the crushed material as well as to means for allowing the-passage of substances harder than fused ash or clinker, in order that the apparatus may not become damaged should suih substances happen to be present in the as A still further object of the invention consists in means for icy-passing entirely the crusher; and in the provision of manual control of the'crusher.

intermittent feed of same from the ash pitestablished so as to enahleztlre removal of the ash by sluicing with water, orb suitable mechanical apparatus. It will e understood, of course that the maximum rate of feed will be predetermined to suit the capacity of the ash conveying device. Labor 1n connection with the removal of the ash may thus be substantially eliminated. The improved apparatus admits, furthermore, of

measuring the amount of ash discharged.

The nature of the invention, however,will best be understood when described in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which-- Fig. 1 is a vertical section of a boiler furnace with the ash handling apparatus in- VIEWS.

Referring to the drawings, 10 designates a combustion chamber of agfurnace of an well-known or special type and in whic there is shown a mechanical means, as a travelling grate 11, for feeding forward the fuel, all of which is well understood and forms no particular part of the present invention.

In accordance with the invention, the ashes or solid waste products of combustion are delivered from the inner end of the grate and are received by an ash hopper or pit 12 which is in the nature of an elongated receptacle having converging walls at its lower end and a portion of which comprises oppositely disposed yieldable plates or wall members 13 and 14 respectively. The inner surfaces of these walls 13 and 14 are roughened or provided with teeth 15 cooperating with teeth 16 of crushing rolls 17, the latter being mounted in the lower end of the hopper for the purpose of crushing cinders,

fused lumps and large pieces of waste solid products of combustion and serving also as a rotary ash grate.

The side plates 13 and 14:, however, are not fixed but are yieldable to swing outwardly, as about pivots 18 and 19 respectively, and have arms 20 and-21 respectively which have attached thereto counter-weights 22 end 23 respectively. These weights nor- 'tion to close, with the rolls result of the position of the side plate 13 relatively to the rolls 17, which clearance may be predetermined or adjusted by placing suitable shims 24 under the counterweight or removing same. Should it be desired to by-pass the crusher entirely, manual means such as a winch 26, having a cable 27 connected to the arm 20, may be employed to raise the latter and thereby open sufficiently the bottom of the hopper.

The material which has been crushed to a predetermined degree is delivered from the bottom of the hopper to an ash pit or suitable ash removing or conveying means, for example into a sluice-way 30 thru which it may be flushed by means of water delivered thereto thru a pipe 31, the degree of feeding of ash being predetermined as hereinafter set forth.

The crushing rolls 17 are operated from an electric motor thru a pawl and ratchet mechanism 36, Figs. 2 and 3, oscillated from the motor 35 in manner well understood. The motor 35 is of the variable speed type; and its rotation is controlled by the weight of ash accumulated in the hopper 12, in manner hereinafter set forth.

The stoker may be operated under natural draft or the pressure within the furnace may be maintained above atmospheric as by a suitable blower 48 forcing air through the fuel bed in any well-known manner such.

for example, as that shown in U. S. Patent to Eckley B. Coxe No. 499,716. When thus operating under forced draft, the failure of the ash seal would permit the escape of smoke and gases around the ash pit with great discomfort to the operator and with marked loss of efficiency because of the loss of draft.

In order to prevent all times leakage through the hopper 12 the same is suitably elongated to allow of the accumulation of suflicient ash therein toeffectually seal said hopper. To this end, delivery of ash thru the bottom of the hopper is controlled proportionately to the feeding of the ash therein from the grate 11. For this urpose, the supply of operating current to t e motor 35 may be automatically controlled as from a rheostot 37, whose movable arm 38 in turn Maud delivery of the ash is e ected.

may be controlled by the movement of the \;'ieldable plate 14. The latter, as will be nnderstom will move outwardly when sufficient weight of ash has accun'iulated in the hopper to overcome the effect of the counter-weight 23. From the arm 21, attached to the platel, is broughta cable 35) which is extended over a differential pulley 40; and a further cable 41 passes over a pulley 42 of the rheostat and at its free end carries a weight 43. Thus, outward movement of the plate 14 will produce a. rotation of the rheostat controller arm 38 to vary the current supplied to motor 35 and will control its speed thereby. It will be understood, of course, that controller arm 38 may be clutched out and manually operated if it be desired to temporarily vary the speed of the motor or empty the hopper. When ash accumulates in the hopper, the increased weight thereof will further overcome the counter-weight and move over the controller arm of the rh'eostatto increase the speed of the motor. whereby a more ra id crushing The maximum delivery, however is proportioned to the capacity of the conveying means. \Vhen the weight of ash in the hopper decreases to the minimum, necessary to seal off the hopper from the ash pit, the pivoted plate 14 swings inwardly under the operation of the counter-weight 23 and thereby moves over the controller arm to automatically shut off the motor or reduce its speed. Thus, the air seal is at all times maintained.

It will be noted that our apparatus, operating in the above manner, maintains a body of sealing ash in the hopper 12 which is eparateand distinct from the fuel bed indicated at 46, the upper surface of this body of sealing ash varying in position between predetermined upper and lower limits, being indicated, for example, at 47.

We consider the creation and maintenance of this distinct body of sealing ash an important feature of our invention, inasmuch as it ensures effective sea-ling against the air pressure in the combustion chamber, irrespective of the rate at which refuse is discharged from the fuel bed.

We are aware that it has been in the past to employ sealing zones of ash but, so far as we are aware, such zones have been contiguous to the fuel bed and have depended for their maintenance upon the speed of operation of the specific means cluloyed for removing residue from the fuel bed, such for example, as the rear portion of a chain grate or the dump plates or grinder rolls customarily employed with this or other types of stokers.

Furthermore, it will be appreciated that proposed if suitable means, as a revolution counter 44, be actuated from the drive shaft 45 of the rolls, a measure of the amount of ash sponding to the average rate of discharge and for maintaining at the distant point, at all times and including the period of gradual removal, a body of sealing refuse separate and distinct from the point of furnace discharge, whereby access of free air to said point is prevented.

2. The combination with a furnace structure, and means for discharging fuel refuse therefrom; of means for providing a chamber beneath the point of furnace discharge for receiving the refuse and having air tight lateral walls; and crusher mechanism adapted to gradually remove from the bottom of said chamber the refuse at an average rate corresponding to the average rate of discharge and to maintain in the bottom of said chamber, at all times including the period of refuse removal from said chamber, a sealing body of refuse separate and distinct from the point of furnace discharge, whereby access of free air to said point is .prevented. I

The combination with a mechanically stoked furnace havin a progressive feed grate for discharging uel refuse therefrom; of a hopper bottom ash pit disposed beneath said grate to receive refuse discharged thereby, said pit having air-tight walls, being provided at the bottom with an opening, and of a depth to hold a sealing body of ash and an accumulation of ash in excess of sealingrequirements; and means for gradually removing excess ash from said pit and for maintaining at the point of removal, and at all times including the period of gradual removal, the sealing body of ash separate and distinct from the point of furnace discharge, whereby access of free air to the discharge point of said furnace is prevented.

4'. The combination with a mechanically stoked furnace having a progressive feed grate for discharging fuel refuse therefrom; of a hopper bottom ash pit disposed beneath said grate to receive refuse discharged thereby, said pit having air-tight walls, being provided at the bottom with an opening, and of a depth to hold a sealing body of ash and an accumulation of ash in excess of sealing requirements; and crusher mechanism for gradually removing excess ash from said pit and for maintainin at the point of removal, and at all times including the eriod of gradual removal, the sealing b0 y of ash separate and distinct from the point of furnace discharge, whereby access of free air to the discharge point of said furnace is prevented.

5. In coi'nbinationz a mechanically stocked furnace having a progressive feed grate; a hopper bot-tom ash pit disposed beneath said grate to receive refuse discharged thereby and having air-tight walls, said pit being of a depth to hold ash for'sealing and an accumulation of ash in excess of sealing requirements and having an opening at the bottom; crusher mechanism substantially closing said opening; and means controlled by the weight of the accumulated excess of ash for actuating the crusher mechanism to discharge excess ash from the pit.

6. In combination: a mechanically stoked furnace having a progressive feed grate; a hopper bottom ash pit disposed beneath said grateto receive refuse discharged thereby and having air-tight-walls, said pit being of a depth to hold ash for sealing and an ac cumulation of-ash in excess of sealing requirements and having an opening at the bottom; crusher mechanism substantially closing said opening; and means for automatically and intermittently actuating the crusher mechanism to discharge excess ash from the pit.

7. In a furnace having a grate; an ashhopper to receive the ashes from the grate and provided with a yieldable side wall, crusher mechanism associated with the said hopper and thru which the ashes pass, said 100 mechanism comprising a rotatable crushing roll, and means operated by the movement of said yieldable side wall to control the rotation of the crushing roll.

8. In a furnace having a grate: an ash- 1U hopper to receive the ashes from the grate and provided with a yieldable side wall, crusher mechanism associated with said hopper and thru which the ashes pass, said mechanism comprising a rotatable crushing Ill roll, motor means to operate the crushing roll, a counter-weight attached to the said yieldable side wall to maintain the same normally closed, and a motor control device connected with said wall and actuated by Ill movement thereof.

9. In a furnace having a grate: an ashhopper to receive the ashes from the grate and. provided with a yieldable side wall. crusher mechanism associated with the said 1!!! hopper and thru which the ashes pass, said mechanism comprising a rotatable crushing roll, an electric motor to operate the crushing roll, a counter-weight attached to the said yieldable side wall to maintain the same I!!! normally closed, and a rheost'at for said motor and connected with said wall and actuated by movement thereof.

11. In a furnace having a grate: an as hopper to receive the ashes from the grate 1M and provided with a yieldable side wall, crusher mechanism associated with said hopper and thru which the ashes pass, said mechanism comprising a rotatable crushing 1 roll, an electric motor to operate the crushin 1011,11 counter-weight attached to the said yieldable side wall and normally maintaining the wall closed, means to limit the downward movement of the counter-weight,

and a rheostat connected with said yieldable wall for controlling the electric rnotor.

12. The method of eliminating refuse discharged from a furnace without the admission of air at the furnace discharge point,

which comprises separating the discharged refuse from the furnace discharge polnt and forming therewith a sealing body while preventing access of free air to the said furnace discharge point, and gradually removing refuse from said body at an average rate corresponding to the average rate of refuse reception, whereby a sealing body of substantially predetermined thickness is ma1n- 'tained atall times including the period of .and gradually removing refuse from said body at an average rate corresponding to the average rate of reception thereby, whereby a sealing body of substantially predetermined thickness is maintained at all times including the period of removal.

Signed at. New York in the county of New York and State of New York this 28th day of February A. D. 1922.

THOMAS G. COGHLAN. EINAR A. JOHNSEN. 

